At a Glance
- Kody Brown branded the Sister Wives tell-all interviews “chicken s— chit chat” before unleashing fresh attacks on ex-wives Meri and Janelle
- He accused Meri of constant antagonism and Janelle of plotting to sell Coyote Pass land out from under Meri
- The patriarch claimed he wanted the “backstabbing” to stop, yet escalated on-camera conflict during season 20’s one-on-one specials
- Why it matters: The open warfare threatens the fragile forgiveness Kody says he recently brokered with his former spouses
Kody Brown walked into his season 20 one-on-one interview vowing to end the “backstabbing,” then immediately unloaded on ex-wives Meri and Janelle, according to footage aired Sunday night and reported by News Of Losangeles.
The Sister Wives patriarch told host Sukanya “Suki” Krishnan he had coined a private nickname for the annual sit-downs: “the chicken s— chit chat.” Standing outside his Flagstaff home with current wife Robyn, Kody complained the interviews feel “constantly swimming upstream” and admitted, “Each year they seem to be harder than the year before.”
Kody’s Pre-Interview Hesitation
Kody revealed he nearly balked at traveling to Scottsdale, Arizona, for the special. “I’m tired of the antagonistic discussion,” he said. “I’m tired of the … throwing the accusations at each other.”
Sources told News Of Losangeles that the father of 18 had spent recent weeks on what he called an “apology tour” with Meri, Janelle, and Christine. “We have begun a forgiveness, I hope,” Kody told Suki, adding the situation was “very fragile.”
Meri Accused of “Girl Games”
Once cameras rolled, Kody shelved the peace pledge. He accused Meri of “antagonistic all the time” behavior and claimed she froze him out after he criticized her best friend, Jen.
“It’s verboten for me to insult Jen anymore,” Kody said. “Meri will murder me if I talk bad about her friends.” He labeled the dynamic one of the ongoing “girl games” he believes Meri and Janelle play against him and Robyn.
Coyote Pass Sale Fight
The most explosive segment centered on Coyote Pass, the plural family’s undeveloped Flagstaff property. Kody reiterated his claim that Janelle tried to force a land sale behind Meri’s back.
“Janelle just wanted to be paid,” he said, insisting there was no need to rush. After viewing clips of both exes giving conflicting accounts, Kody doubled down: “Janelle was misrepresenting the situation. It wasn’t my idea.”
He described feeling “pressured” to push Meri off the parcel, calling it “a very typical plural-marriage situation” and labeling Janelle’s move “backstabby.”
When Suki suggested Kody also acted duplicitously, he shot back: “I was already at war with Meri! I wasn’t partnering with Meri … Janelle didn’t care; she just wanted to get her money.”
Janelle Fires Back
Janelle rejected Kody’s narrative during her own interview. “All I can do is be responsible for what I know I said,” she told Suki. “I can’t be responsible for how they perceived it or what they think.”
Kody still assigned blame, noting Janelle once managed the family books. “Janelle plays me all the time because I loved her-and might still-and I want her approval,” he conceded. “When she calls, I start jumping.”
Timeline of Escalation
| Event | Kody’s Stance |
|---|---|
| Pre-interview | Vows to stop “backstabbing” |
| Meri segment | Accuses her of constant antagonism |
| Coyote Pass debate | Blames Janelle for secret sale push |
| Post-interview | Insists Janelle alone is responsible |
Fragile Peace at Risk
Despite Kody’s stated desire for harmony, the televised attacks may jeopardize recent reconciliation efforts. “I don’t want to undo that,” he had said of the forgiveness process. Yet within minutes of taping, he branded one ex “antagonistic” and the other “backstabby,” ensuring fresh headlines for News Of Losangeles readers and more discord within the fractured Brown family.
Sister Wives airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on TLC.
